No killer blows at the Pre-PBR PMQs

No killer blows at PMQs today but arguably a win on points for Brown who had a couple of good (though clearly pre-prepared) one-liners aimed at David Cameron.

12.02 PMQs opens with Brown paying tribute to the 100th member of the armed forces to have been killed in Afghanistan this year.

12.03 Tory MP Bob Neil points out Brown's error's last week about Spain's economic situation – "the pain in Spain is mainly in his brain", he quips.

12.06 David Cameron echoes the tribute to the latest fallen serviceman. He asks about the new counter insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and says that we cannot waste time getting every element of the new strategy in place.

12.08 Brown welcomes his comments and talks about the conference being held in January on the matter.

12.09 Cameron welcome US forces coming to Helmand, but says that British troops are spread too thinly there and asks for that to be dealt with.

12.10 Brown says our presence is being thickened there, and that operational matters are decided on the ground. Cameron reiterates the question though, unsatisfied with Brown's answer. Brown re-iterate that commanders on the ground take those decisions.

12.11 Cameron says he is grateful for Brown's answer and moves on to MPs' second home allowances. He wants more transparency on the issue to ensure current totals for housing allowances are published in full.

12.12 Brown says it is a matter for the Members' Estimates Commitee but says broadly there should be maximum transparency.

12.13 Cameron says the totals should be published as a matter of fundamental importance. He wants to know if the legislation on the Kelly reforms will be brought before Parliament. Brown says a meeting is taking place this afternoon discussing these issues.

12.14 Cameron demands support for a 5% cut in ministerial pay and then a five year freeze along with a 10% reduction in the size of the Commons. Brown does not answer the specific question and accuses Cameron of having "lost the art of communication but not the gift of speech".

12.17 Nick Clegg says it is offensive for Labour to talk about fairness when there are so many people in poverty, unemployment and struggling to keep warm this winter; Brown answers with "a list not an answer" according to Clegg and then replies with his own list of statistics. He says that Brown has failed on fairness but the PM says that Clegg's problem is that he cannot read any list of what he has done.

12.23 John Hayes wants the PM to concede that fewer people are beginning level 3 apprenticeships than ten years ago. Brown replies with a different set of statistics…

12.26 Brown say the Tory energy policy is "all wind and no turbine" in reply to a Labour MP.

12.27 Tory MP Alistair Burt raises the issue of bureaucratic and unnecessary regulation which affected a group in his constituency wanting to hold a function in a village hall. Brown says he will look into the matter.

12.33 Labour MP Emily Thornberry asks about reversing the foxhunting ban; Brown says that doing so (as the Conservaitves would) would be a terrible mistake.